Polymers often are mixed with a colorant to produce the range of known colored plastics, materials and the like. However, there are shortcomings in using colorants with polymers. For example, pigments can be difficult to disperse in a solvent, and that dispersion or suspension then must be one which can be incorporated with a polymerization reaction or must separately be mixable with the polymer and interact with the polymer. Dyes, while soluble, also have shortcomings, such as, poor thermal stability and poor lightfastness.
With an increased focus on environment and health, there is an interest and/or a need to find suitable reagent replacements for petroleum-based reagents and certain colorants associated with polymer synthesis and use. It is desirable, then, to provide biorenewable regents, such as, colorants with a lower negative impact on the environment and on health with improved thermal and temporal stability and lightfastness.